SYDNEY 2000 / SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES

Baby Girl Is Better Than Gold

Alonzo Mourning leaned near his wife's belly before he left for the Olympics and told their unborn daughter not to come early.

She didn't listen, but Mourning made it to the hospital in Miami just in time anyway.

After more than a 19-hour trip from Sydney, he arrived only 17 minutes before the couple's second child, Myka Sydney, was born Friday.

Mourning's wife, Tracy, was scheduled to have labor induced Saturday, but she had begun having light contractions early in the week.

Mourning left Sydney Friday morning on a 14-hour flight to Los Angeles, where he was met by the plane of Miami Heat owner Mickey Arison for the five-hour flight to Miami.

After getting word Tracy was close to giving birth while he was traveling, Mourning went directly to the hospital when he arrived--getting there only minutes before the new arrival.

Mourning played three games before leaving and will return in time for the quarterfinals after missing the U.S. team's last two preliminary-round games, a victory over New Zealand Saturday and a game against France Monday.